The two come face to face at St Jakob Park in Basel tonight as Capello’s side look to build on Friday’s win over Bulgaria with another three Euro 2012 qualifying points.

But Hitzfeld, pictured above, believes the reaction to England’s exit from South Africa is staggering. ‘I cannot understand the severe criticism Fabio Capello has had to cope with,’ he said. ‘It all came after that match against Germany. But if that second English goal had been allowed, as it should have been, it would have been 2-2 at half-time and they would have had a massive psychological advantage. That defeat was bad luck, not bad coaching.’